San Antonio Hams

I put together this video after the 2009 La Vernia Wildwest Hammerfest.  Probably missed some items, but here it it.  Featuring some well known ham radio operators and hundreds of bicycle riders who came out that day just so I could try and make this video.

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Yes, I know that this event was over a week ago, but I just uploaded the finished video clip from this event to Youtube.com.

About 250 athletes participated in this year’s event, despite the constant light rain. At least it wasn’t a thunderstorm, which would have caused cancelation. As it was, the event organizers did chop off 2 miles from the bicycle route, because that was one mile going up a very steep hill, and the riders would have then been traveling at high speed down a very slick paved street on the way back.  Despite what the logo above says, the planned bike route was only 12 miles, chopped to 10 miles due to weather considerations for safety.

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Around 5:30am on Saturday morning, 09/19/2009, way before the chickens even thought about waking up, there were a bunch of crazy folks talking on the 147.04 repeater, all saying they were heading toward LaVernia for some bicycle event. 

The San Antonio Repeater Organization (SARO) organized the hams for this event, which was billed as the 2nd annual event, even though it was the 3rd year.  Seems that last year (2008) the event got canceled due to a pesky hurricane that was threatening to hit the gulf coast of Texas, and that hurricane was going to use up the law enforcement resources needed by the event, plus the threat of extremely bad weather might have endangered the riders.

Originally, Gordon K5SUZ was slated to coordinate hams for this event, but due to the death of Liliane KC5AQP a couple weeks prior, he asked Eric WB5ZJQ and Lee N5NTG to take over the operation.   We were a bit short handed today, after a couple of last minute cancelations and no-shows, but we all pitched in and some did double duty to cover rest stops until we could shift another ham over to that location.  We had 10 SAG vehicles, but only 6 had hams riding in them, so we used cellular phones to try and coordinate the other 4 drivers.   We had 5 rest stops and 10 Motorcycle Marshals.   

Net Control was ran by the Manley Family, with Charles KD5EXS and Charlie W5BRC were most frequently heard as NCS, with Barbara KB5RLF covering their occasional need to take breaks.

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Just a reminder….

The Texas QSO Party occurs on the last full weekend in September. The 2009 dates are the 26th and 27th of September. Operating times are from 1400Z on SATURDAY to 0200Z on SUNDAY and from 1400Z to 2000Z on SUNDAY. Operation on all bands except on 60 meters, 30 meters, 17 meters, and 12 meters is permitted. Stations may work the entire contest period. Be sure to submit your scores by October 31.

This is a great chance to work your fellow Texans and it’s fun, too!  Just read the rules at: http://www.txqp.net/  and try to work as many stations in Texas as you can. BUT WAIT! You are in Texas, too, so try to work as many states and countries as you can. Just call: “CQ Texas QSO Party”.  Each new state or country counts as a multiplier. No matter haow many or how few stations you work, turn in your score as per instructions on the home page.

Also, read http://sanantoniohams.org/blog/?p=821 so you’ll be aware of how a “little gun” can do well in a state QSO party. You might even want to operate with some fellow ham club members as a multi-op.  Above all…. HAVE FUN!

Bob  W2IK

In the spirit of, as Lee, N5NTG, put it: “….it struck me how much the “turf boundaries” between clubs has shrunk, …… I think that “shrinking” is a good thing to be happening” 

In the spirit of cooperation, the Bexar Operators Group has offered to underwrite and offer their “2010 Jump Team Boot Camp” to members of the Chaparral Amateur Radio Club (which happens to also be the Guadalupe County ARES group).

This would be the third “Jump Team Boot Camp” given by the Bexar Operators Group. It would be a two-day (not three day) deployment event at a site with no facilities north-east of Austin. This “Jump Team Boot Camp” will concentrate on amateur radio and the ways and means to get a communications jump team operational should there be a need to deploy some distance from your home and communicate in the aftermath of a disaster. This session is planned for the weekend of  March 20-21st, but we are open to other weekend dates within this Spring time frame.
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Members of the Chaparral Amateur Radio Club (which happens to also be the Guadalupe County ARES group) set up and tested NVIS antennas at the county EOC in Seguin on Sunday, September 13th.   Their goal was to design an antenn that could be raised or lowered from the ground, in order to find that sweet spot where the noise floor was the lowest.  

We’re hoping to get an after action report to be added here in a few days, so please check back for more details about the results of this test.

The following photos were taken during the event by the well known local NVIS antenna consultant and guru, Bob W2IK, who was obviously present but not shown in the photos since he was on the other side of the camera. 

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The Atascosa County Amateur  Radio Club will start classes for the purpose of getting amateur license October 24, October 31, November 7, and November 14 from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM with lunch will be 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM.  The cost will be $18.95 for study material and $14.00 for the FCC license.  Bring a photo ID.   The classes will be in the old jail building, 711 Broadway St., Jourdanton.

This class is for the Technician Class license.  

For further information contact Hugo B. South at 830-281-2408 hugokk5bz@aol.com

ACARC’s webpage is found at http://wa5ar.org/

The FCC examinations will be held on 19 September 2009 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the First Pentecostal Church of Atascosa, 70 County Road  431 (this road is south off SH97 across from South Texas Medical Center next to the fire works stand) in Jourdanton, TX.  Please bring a photo copy of existing license, photo ID,  and $14.00 for the FCC examinations.  For further information please contact Hugo B. South, 830-281-2408. hugokk5bz@aol.com

ACARC’s webpage is found at http://wa5ar.org/

COMING SOON: 

Details on the new “W5BOG ECOM TEAM” and what emergency events it plans to support, either short or long term, and contact persons will be posted for possible activation of this team.

We operate as a small part of a greater TEAM.  We are NOT “waiters”.  We DO NOT SERVE anyone. 

We WORK WITH other agencies in the “team spirit” concept to support them by supplying emergency communications. We also work alongside other emcomm groups to help fill any gaps.  All team members have actual “hands on” emergency communications experience. No room for b.s. in our group. We get the job done because we know what we are doing.

Our ecom van (see above) comes fully loaded with both HF and VHF/UHF stations and can operate as a self-contained, stand alone emergency communications post anywhere we might be needed.

We also work with NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS (Military Affiliate Radio System) system and support their needs in emergency communications.

Any person with a sincere interest in helping their community may join. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A LICENSED AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR to be a part of our team and help. On the job training!

Contact:  Alonestaryank@aol.com if you wish to join.

We do not exclude anyone who is a member of any other emcomm group.  Keep tabs on our progress at:  http://www.w5bog.com/w5bog-ecom-team.html